Predestined and chaste
by lovealloyed
Summary: Natsu falls prey to the ultramarine eyes of a mysterious, dangerous, woman who reeks of sorcery and melancholy, and is now compelled into a world where light is incandescently iridescent, and darkness a scary, bottomless chasm. Lucy decides to aide and follow Natsu, her best friend even though she knows that this is a gruesome secret she must avoid...What will happen?
1. Chapter 1: Introduction!

Predestined and Chaste

_Hey! _

_I hope you like my attempt at writing a reasonable story. This is my first endeavor, so I'm very anxious. Please review, I'll appreciate it a lot._

_I am enraptured, enamored and totally infatuated with Nalu and Jerza. Though, this has less or no romance. The first chapter is an introduction and is not significantly related to the main plot, but it will give you a glimpse about my style of writing and my idea._

"Luce! What'cha doing, eh?"

"Natsu!" Lucy said, incredulous.

"Natsu", Lucy added," You've really improved."

"At what?" Natsu smirked. He was ever-ready for compliments.

"At barging into my house. Oh, and stalking me," Lucy incited, impishly.

"It looks like a romantic monologue," commented gray in his habitual husky, deep voice. As usual he had stripped down to only wearing his underwear and socks. He had his legs on the table, smoking a cigarette and reading a newspaper.

"Grey! When did you intrude?" Lucy gasped, realizing that she had not spend even one day at home, alone, by herself.

"Oi, you forgot to scold me...", Erza called out, jumping in from the glazed window right at the moment. Ironically, nobody could scold the disciplinarian, unyielding and stern, 'Titania'.

"Erza- look! We've got to do something about Gray! On the outset, he stopped bathing with you, but now he's smoking...!"

"What's the deal with bathing together?"

Lucy sighed, momentarily distracted. These three: Erza, Natsu, and Gray, from far away appeared to be tough, happy-go-lucky, blithe wizards who were impassive and couldn't care less about conventions and laws, having destroyed too many buildings which were reservoirs of awe and conjecture.

Smitten by wanderlust, pretty scarlet haired curvaceous Erza Scarlet; Gray Fullbuster with a toned, muscular body and dark blue hair; and the pink haired young Dragonslayer Natsu Dragneel aka 'Salamander', cold to his enemies, but in general, as hot as his magic; were sentimental, warm and affable people who had gifted to Lucy the feeling of belongingness in a place where her running away from her ancestral home would have thrown her otherwise into a multitude of tribulations.

Revealing nothing of her thoughts, Lucy asked Natsu calmly," Natsu, could you leave so that I can talk something private with Erza and Gray?"

Natsu concurred, wondering," I'm Lucy's best friend, right? What is she hiding, from me?"

Natsu took long, long strides, hurrying to a place he knew very well. As he looked at the fringes of the sunlight, peaking at him from the canopy of trees, he raised his hand, smiling his infectious, carefree grin.

A horde of children gathered around Natsu, enraptured by his magnetic aura.

"Natsuuuuu -san", he saw Wendy running towards him, waving.

Natsu waved back, grinning.

"Ohayo, Wendy! How're you?"

"I'm fine. You are going to the park, right?"

"Hai. You are also going there?"

"Nope. I'll handle the kids. You go the park and return soon, otherwise lucy-san will get angry with you, right?"

"Thanks Wendy."

Natsu patted Wendy's head, ruffling her silky, indigo tresses of hair which were tied in the customary two ponies. Wendy was a lean, endearing, and courteous 13-year old girl who was one of Natsu's precious nakama and an elite member of the dragon slayers cult in Fairy tail. Natsu really, really hoped that one day Wendy would be mature enough to understand that fairy tail was a place which, would make her feel proud to be associated with it, rather than fairy tail priding on its members, or ashamed of its constituents boisterousness.

Wendy was rather abashed, and smiling coyly, thanked Natsu.

"Natsu-san, please take care of yourself."

"Of course. Though I should be saying that to you..."

"Carla is with me, so I will be fine."

She smiled her open, bright grin. It contrasted evenly with the sunset, making Wendy's hazel brown eyes look bigger and prominent. Her eyes were just like Lucy, and Natsu couldn't help thinking in insentience, about how Lucy would look, if she ever looked at them in a smoldering gaze.

"Bye, Natsu."

Wendy's figure became faded and more and more like an apparition, or like a fleeting thought, as Wendy and the children's voice became one with silence, and they were seen no more, as Natsu pushed the ground behind, poignantly ahead.

Natsu breezed in the luscious park. It was almost a ruin, and the colossal, gray silken web almost everywhere reminded him of ancient Rome and the silver hue on its buildings.

The place was secluded and there were hardly anything reminiscent of its initial allure, but a swing, clad in sky-blue and still tranquil and pristine, was at the heart of the park.

The park was divided in concentric circles which were constituted of circular tiles, and lush, green trees surrounded the park in rows. Bushes, shrubs and weeds grew wildly, gratis and restive.

Natsu sat on the swing, assuming control of the swing, and in a few seconds, it looked as if Natsu had wings, and was whispering secrets to the wind.

Deciding to be more adventurous and exploratory, Natsu stood up and started swinging, the wind singeing on his cheek, a grin plastered on his face.

The leaves suddenly rustled, the trees swayed and the weather altered violently.

Natsu however, enjoying the exhilarating fraternity of nature, was deeply lost in acquiring speed.

Swiftly, the birds flew in circles in the infinitesimal blue sky, and out of the blue, the birds all flew away, from the range of the park, with their nostalgic cry.

'Coo, coo, coooo!"

Natsu came out of the clearing, into the dark unknown, to confront the person who had frightened away the birds of the vicinity.

And his scent lingered and pervaded, smelt by a certain 'someone' hidden behind the cluster of trees. And the certain 'someone', chuckled, ready for vengeance.

**How was it? Please comment, everyone!**

**I love love love loooove all of you and hope you like my story! Lots of ideas planned.**


	2. Chapter 2: Lullaby

Predestined and Chaste

Chapter 2: Lullaby

_Hey! _

_I am very happy that I got at least one review. Thank you for your support...:)_

_I shall try my level-best, but until then, studies will siphon my time and chuck my worth into a bin._

"Hey!" Natsu ran after the accused.

She turned back. From her looks, she looked morose, taciturn and docile.

Sadness painfully was thrust in her beautiful ultramarine eyes.

"Natsu...", her voice was mesmerizing and controlling, soft and lithe.

"This is like a damn Drama show!" Natsu grumbled.

"Why did you shoo away those birds?"

"I...did?" her fingers shook and her voice wavered.

"Yes! I had seen your glimpse before. And the birds flew away only after sensing your presence."

Natsu looked at her properly for the first time. She was appealing and fragile, like a fresh wreath of flowers. Her dark rimmed eyes were nostalgic. She was all that poets swooned about, except that she had too much darkness inside her. She both attracted and repulsed Natsu, simultaneously. He liked to see such beauty, but with a cheerful attitude, like Luce...It was ironical that Natsu never liked using her name. It was always Luce, or Luigi.

He saw her long black nails tighten on her red and black umbrella with tassels of black thread on the edge, which corresponded with her archetypal vintage gown with lacy sleeves and sides.

She had a veil covering her pretty features and a gold necklace adorning her pale neck. She was lean and slender, and now looked sadder than before. Her black hair fell like a thick curtain down her back in a elaborate hairstyle.

"I'm sorry", she almost whispered.

"Nay, it's alright. Just make it up to them, ok?" Natsu suggested, and then grinned his trademark grin.

She was almost taken aback.

"Oh..? And you'll not think bad of me?" she softly alluded.

"We're even. Your apology was too meek...jeez, you should be happy, such a pretty girl like you", Natsu kept on muttering, oblivious to her reaction.

An austere, open, bright smile flitted on her lips and her eyes seemed to twinkle. She felt alive and happy.

"You like me? You don't think bad of me?"

"No", Natsu blushed. "There's something dark about you, but the way you carry yourself, that's what matters. And you're beautiful and sad and...strong."

"Natsu...you never asked me, how I knew your name. I am acquainted with Zeref. Actually, I am her sister...and I've been waiting for you. In your company I felt alive and happy. Can I reveal my secret to you? It may hurt you...", she warned.

"Sure", Natsu smiled.

"Ja, ne...", she grinned nervously.

Natsu asserted, giving her his say-so by the means of a reassuring smile.

Gracefully and quickly, Natsu saw her eyes properly.

In the light of the sinking Sun, he saw that they were unmistakably ultramarine, not ultramarine like it had seemed through the fine mesh of veil.

"Gray, could you move the chair a bit to the right?" Lucy asked.

"Erza, please put up the balloon on that wall."

"And Jellal", Lucy faced him," you just sit there and stare at Erza."

"Aww...but I wanted to help you guys", Jellal said affectionately.

"No need. Erza and you will get distracted if you work together, right?"

"Lucy!" Erza blushed.

"It's all right, babe. She's right. Your butt looks good from this angle."

"Stop it, Jellal", Erza giggled.

"Could you lovebirds move? Someone's working here, you know", Gray complained.

"You are no fun", Jellal complained.

Erza lost her balance from the stool, and with a kyaaaaaa! fell straight into Jellal's arms. Jellal took this opportunity to kiss Erza passionately, and Erza reciprocated.

"Since you people dated, haven't you become too...public?"

"I won't be surprised if Erza is pregnant!" Gray insinuated.

"Gray, you liiiiike Juvia", Erza imitated happy.

"No I do not. She's just a stalker. I've decided to tell her how I FEEL, and not leave her hanging. I don't feel the same way." Gray flushed all the same.

"It's Natsu's birthday guys! C'mon lets laugh and enjoy! And get Lucy-Natsu and Gray-Juvia together!" Erza exhorted.

Though Lucy and Gray didn't agree with Erza's last statement, they cheered and made a lot of noise, optimistically, the way it was meant to be.

Natsu looked blankly at the female mage.

"What's your name?"

"My name is Misae."

Natsu followed her wordlessly, the intoxication of her eyes making him love struck and awe-filled as a puppy. She had, unsurprisingly, swept Natsu off his feet.


	3. Chapter 3

**Your reviews mean a lot to me. So please review :)**

**I hope that I can continue to write, with your support**

At exactly 12 noon, it had officially been five hours since Natsu had not retraced his path back home. Natsu's facebook wall, astonishingly was empty and was filled with the comment Natsu had written before he left, 'How cum no1 remembrd my b'day?'

At 8:

Lucy came inside her house, slamming the door shut. With a click of the wooden door, she was in, her hair in her usual style. The silence resounded and manifested in fear. Lucy was scared lest a predicament had occurred, causing the house to be void and sans Erza, Gray, Natsu and Happy.

Lucy's face became pale, which was terribly in contrast to her sizzling scarlet jacket, her white t-shirt and her blue skirt. "Hello,...is anybody there?"

Lucy instantly felt lame for saying that aloud. Not only was the sentence the most clichéd, often used in horror movies, it was also not heretical and rational.

Lucy peered into her bathroom, her bedroom and each and every precinct of her house.

Slowly, her fear changed into unexpected euphoria and reprieve. Liberated and free, Lucy fell with a hearty sigh on the soft, silken, pink bed, and switched on the television.

More than the entertainment, Lucy needed the warm, cozy feeling. The noise, and the feeling of elation when you are with the ones you enamor and cherish. Of course, it felt weird, but Lucy assumed that she would soon get used to it.

At 9:

Lucy was feeling fidgety, and tried hard not to change her mind. For at least half an hour, her mind had played delusions and fantasies in her mind, releasing a string of endless procrastinations. Lucy was tired and anxious to see her friends, her comrades, her allies. She was not afraid of being alone, but their company gave her heighted pleasure which she had taken for granted. To lose this happiness would be equivalent to how she felt, alone, superfluous, in the cold and heartless mansion when she had been wealthy.

"Should I go...and ask them where they were? Should I search for them...?"

For ten minutes, Lucy tossed a coin into the air, hoping that she would get heads so that she could, as per her swear, go and search for her nakama. Each time the coin flew mid-air, Lucy would look at it in anticipation, her mouth open wide in surprise and anxiety. And each time, the coin would come crashing down as a meteor and with its fiery embers burn Lucy's inner resolve of visiting her friends away.

"Damn...! Why won't I get heads? Heads heads heads...", she muttered.

Ten more minutes later, Lucy clinched herself, got ready, and sprinted to the door. The coin lay neglected on the bed, clearly facing heads.

Natsu looked out of the window of the train. He looked deep in thought and stoic and passive, while Misae beamed to herself absent-mindedly, and they both sat close in comfortable silence. After ten minutes, she gently nudged Natsu, smiling coyly.

"What?" Natsu softly asked, still peering hard at the lush, green fields set against the deep blue sea of clouds.

"What are you considering?"

"These fields are nostalgic, somehow", Natsu retorted.

"Maybe I saw them during that time...no, was it when the

ice pervert fought that dark guild? No...", he started racking his brain.

"Ice pervert?" she asked calmly now. She was now expressionless and cold again. Her eyes gleamed as they glinted in the sunlight. Natsu started to hum a tune to himself, trying to remember when he had seen the fields.

She told him, softly, between periods of recurring silence, about her home and her lonely, stark lifestyle.

Natsu really couldn't comprehend what she was accentuating, but still gave an occasional nod every now and then.

**Lucy POV**

I checked my mobile every minute to see if there were any incoming calls or messages. I was already being so frantic, even though by now I was sure that nobody was even aware that Natsu was astray.

A cold breeze made the leaves crinkle and sway to the beat of the blustery weather. I rubbed my shoulders and gritted my teeth. No, I wasn't going to ask for assistance. Not until I could be sure that Natsu was going to return. This was something I had to do, with or without the warm hands of my nakama to shore me up. I wanted to prove that I could do something myself. And maybe I was just imagining consequences which did not exist. My thoughts ran into a hundred directions, even as my legs took a flight of its own through winding alleys and Natsu's favorite places out of its own accord.

"Natsuuuuu- !" I called, and the only thing that made me realize that I was running too fast was that my ribbon became undone and left my open hair exposed, and when I looked back five seconds later, I found it far-flung, at the end of the heartless, lonely street.

Yessss! I had spotted a pink-haired boy, though his clothes quite didn't match. Did it really matter, his demeanor and appearance? Not in my present, hyperventilated state. A brief smile flitted on my face.

Normal POV-

Lucy's sight wavered, and all she could see was black. For a lot of time, and to her it seemed ages, she felt nothing. She was impassive and tired. Finally, she found herself in the middle of the street, fallen. Gray was bending and sprinkling some water on Lucy's face.

"W-what j...ust happened?" Lucy asked, her eyes still half open. She felt groggy and disoriented.

"Well it was like this", Gray began, clearing his throat.

Happy continued," Lucy ran really fast...I didn't know she could run so fast. And that also without her skirt flying!"

"Shut up- cat!" Lucy vehemently chided Happy, even in her drained out and weary state.

Gray said, softening, "I was just walking, and, you- you ran like anything. I was like 'woah!' and I got knocked down by the sheer force. You, too. I didn't faint, though."

"Oh", Lucy said in a small voice, "I remember it- vaguely."

"So", Happy asked, "why were you running like that?"]

"Natsu was- "

Gray interrupted, "Forgot him. How could he be so important? You know he's like a vagrant."

He waved his hand, as if to tell Lucy to forgot about Natsu's safety.

"You don't understand."

"Then go", Gray softly added.

Throwing some money to the beautiful wizard, he grinned openly. "Go get him back! Or don't return!"

Lucy smiled, too. Today, she had to write a chapter of her new book. Apart from that, she had to prepare for her quest tomorrow and help Wendy learn one of the vital ancient languages. She had to prepare Erza for her date which was on Sunday and cook food for everyone, which in itself was a drudge, a menial chore. There would be lots of other priorities she would have in her mind for a day like this. But now, as she ran with renewed vigor and exuberance, it was clear which way her heart blossomed. Those tasks which she had for today, turned to dust and were left behind like the ribbon which adorned Lucy's hair.

The only thing Lucy hoped and hoped for with her heart in her mouth was that it wouldn't be too late to save Natsu.


	4. Chapter 4: Instinct

**Please review, everyone! I think I enjoyed this chapter even though I am to a certain extent, pretty disappointed. I hope that you like it :)**

Introduction -

It was a vicinity, or rather, a conurbation where the sky was a piercing, startling blue, and the birds congregated rarely as the freezing winds proved to be pernicious to the birds.

Literally the city of snow, Shaenlir was a remote city, far-flung in the south.

Due to a mysterious reason it remained cold there throughout the year, though geographers laughingly admitted that the reason was purely scientific, owing to Shaenlir surrounded by cold, scenic mountains and states, along with it being surrounded by extremely cold currents.

And the people who lived there, were called snow-dwellers, and Misae was one of them.

Story -

Natsu looked out of the train, in awe and suitable anticipation. The falling snowflakes soon

surrounded him and made him one with the cold. Natsu stepped eagerly out of the platform, easily leaving behind the sign, which read 'Shaenlir: The kingdom of snow.'

He continued shuffling about, taking in the beautiful horizon, consisting of slightly lilac mountains at a distance, and mostly a white, pure, refreshing landscape.

Misae took her own sweet time coming out of the train, and slightly nodded to Natsu, as if to tell him: 'You can do as you wish.'

Natsu did exactly that, behaving like a child, happy and restive. Misae slightly smiled amidst the blizzard, despite her sadness.

And they left, Natsu skipping and she just taking long, quick strides.

Lucy ran with all her might. Her strength had been long extinguished, but she anyway continued, mustering all her will.

Everything was just a blur to Lucy, and she even cried while running, and wiped them carelessly from her sleeve. The rain came and washed away her tears in a torrent. Lucy's clothes were drenched and stuck to her skin innocently, making her look alluring yet not sleazy.

As she ran, she bumped into a man. He held her close to his chest, holding her sympathetically. Lucy did not resist. She was so insecure and weary, and being with this man made her feel comfortable and secure...

Lucy said, "I'm sorry", and tears streamed down her supple and exotic face again.

"Hey", Jellal smiled at her, "Gray told me that you were going to find Natsu...But I can only see a cute girl crying in front of me."

Lucy gave him a bright smile and said, "I know, right? I should get going...really, I can't imagine that I did this...".

A certain redhead stopped right in front of them.

"Jellal...and Lucy?"

Erza looked at them, horrified, as if somebody had slapped her.

"Hey, Erza. Did you hear the news?"

"What news?" Erza asked weakly.

"Jellal...are you cheating on me?" she asked.

Erza was now starting to get paranoid. Jellal had been away for months,,, no years...and they had never met. She had tried her best to forget her bitter memories, her reproaches. And just when Jellal came again...She broke down, crying.

"This is a sad day", Lucy commented, narrowing her eyes and looking at Erza despondently.

"Erza", he called gently.

"You go, Lucy", Jellal instructed and then gave her his I-will-deal-with-Erza look.

"Ok", Lucy ran on ahead.

Seeing Erza, Lucy was now very sure. If Erza could feel so bad at a misunderstanding, even if she had dated Jellal for a short time, what about her?

She had known Natsu for a long time. Practically lived with him.

He had gathered the broken , despairing pieces of her life and put them together, weaving them with the unbreakable ties of love and friendship. He had been her nakama right from the moment they met. But what did she think of him? She didn't know.

Suddenly, she received the signal she was waiting for. Natsu's customarily scarf had fallen on the street outside the railway station. Lucy thanked her stars.

"Natsu, I'm coming", she said to herself, running in anticipation.

She would never have been so happy running for a race.

But that little piece of cloth entwined her with Natsu's destination.

And she finally embraced her love for her nakama as she kissed the scarf tenderly.

"So this is where we live!" Natsu said, exhilarated...

"Yup", a maid called up. She had hazel eyes and hair the color of peanut butter, and was very

curvaceous. She giggled along with the other maid, who reminded Natsu of Lucy. She had blonde hair and green, emerald eyes, and was slender and lithe. She appeared conservation and intelligent like Lucy. Natsu's body suddenly ached and smarted with rising pain.

The journey of more than a day was now taking its toll on him.

He couldn't believe that he had forgotten about Lucy, Gray, Erza, and every one of his nakama of Fairy Tail. What was that aura around that sorceress who was a stranger to him...that he followed her here? What was the secret, the quintessential, dark essence of the musty, witchy place which was lower than the rest of the raised city?

One dark look from the said wizard caused his thoughts to shatter like fragile glass as he followed her down a chamber...

"This leads underground", she warned him, "so please take a step carefully. Tap your leg like this," she demonstrated it to him, taping twice with her heel at an unsafe crevice, "and keep the lamp ahead of you, like this, to illuminate the maximum area."

"hmm...", Natsu said, not really listening.

His dragonslayer instincts kicked in, as he started to smell something. Something really peculiar...

"I can smell...someone", Natsu observed, craning his neck in all directions to check for someone's presence.

"Hazel is following us", she told him, and Natsu looked back to see the maid he had seen earlier with the hazel eyes.

"That's her name?"

"Shhhh...", she kept a finger on his lips, and he saw her elegant, long red nails.

Tapping her fingers impatiently on her sleeves, she replied, "No-one knows her real name. We just call her Hazel. Now, don't speak."

"But what's in here?"

"It's a secret", she said, and gave him an enticing, smoldering look. Natsu gasped. He felt that he was being trapped in a way, and was forgetting something really important. But his senses were crushed.

"You go ahead", she said.

As Natsu walked ahead, she whispered craftily, "Hazel, leave no trace. Prepare the memory loss potion."

And a slight nod confirmed the vile plan in a dark, musty underground passage.

**So, how's it? I have a lot of ideas lined up for the next one, I hope you like them! Ok, now, please read the auguries of innocence, if you've not read it. It's an amazing poem, and has a lot of slight nuances and emotions despite its brevity. Here is the first para:**

**T****O**** see a world in a grain of sand,**

**And a heaven in a wild flower,**

**Hold infinity in the palm of your hand,**

**And eternity in an hour.**

**PLEASE review, Minna!**


	5. Chapter 5: Surety

**Thanks for so many views! Really happy *chuckles maniacally***

**So, read slowly, enjoy blithely and review impulsively! :)**

**thoughts= **_**italics**_

Lucy was just waiting on the platform, despondent and despairing. And although throughout the night she kept fanatically humming that she would find Natsu, but then would doubt herself quintessentially. Her world was monochrome and dull, and she had no one to allay the constant loneliness thrust at her right now. She had no money to go home and no face to leave Natsu. That was her definite quest. She couldn't bring her plans to a standstill.

When suddenly she saw a blue blur flying towards her.

"Happy!" Lucy took the cute blue cat in her arms and spun happy around.

"Ay! How're you Lucy?" Lucy noticed that happy was himself looking pale and under the weather.

"Where's Carla?"

Lucy giggled. She meant to tease happy, and she was happy to know that he was, too, not dense and slow in such matters.

"You lllllllllllike him!" Happy mocked, referring rudimentarily to Natsu.

"Ano Baka- ", Lucy began, but suddenly stopped, and then paused.

"You're right. I like him", she said in a small voice.

"Say what?" the blue exceed blushed.

Lucy smiled warmly.

"And you, you like Carla right?"

"Happy late realization, Luce."

'Luce' reminded Lucy terribly of Natsu. She stared melancholically at the skies above. The same skies in which she had stared at to testify her happiness now appeared nothing more than a periphery of a cruel world.

"Hehe, you're spacing out, Lucy-san."

The exceed noticed that his nakama was being uncharacteristically funereal and taciturn.

_Lucy is being serious..._

"I'll help you, Lucy."

"What's the catch?" Lucy looked at happy and sighed, her spirit weakened.

"Don't dampen the mood, Lu-chan", a familiar voice rang out.

Lucy stared at the bookworm. She smiled lovingly.

"Levy! " She embraced the lithe and slender girl.

"Actually, it seems that Carla followed Natsu. She says that he was hypnotized, and he doesn't even know it. Hmm...that is something to think of, don't you agree?"

"How do you know?" Lucy looked accusingly at her best friend. She was surprised by her skeptical behavior.

"Ah- don't worry about the details, Lu-chan! Me and Carla had seen Natsu, with this lady...with black hair? violet eyes? Don't worry, we'll find out the details", Levy propounded and then laughed heartily.

"Lu-chan...", Levy's smile faded. She looked down at the ground and instantly felt her situation corresponding with a death match in which, either way, someone or the other died. Here, too, she know that it would be very hard to locate Salamander, but she had faith in her ally, the chocolate-eyed beauty. She wanted the old, mirthful Lucy. She wanted Lucy's former personality to be restored.

"Could it be? Did you offer to help me to find your princess, Cat?" Lucy solicited, raising an eyebrow in suspicion.

"Ay!" Happy replied sincerely.

"This isn't the time to fight", Levy piqued in, looking agonized.

"I think I know how we'll find Natsu", Levy reiterated, for the fifth time.

"Tell me", Lucy said, drawing the mage closer.

"This is the only way to communicate with Carla", Levy proposed.

Lucy fidgeted in her seat, jittery and jinxed.

_Earlier that day..._

Levy brought Lucy inside an ornately decorated tent. It had a mysterious, beguiling and esoteric ambience.

A lady dressed entirely in purple flicked her black, wavy, spider-like hair behind. She was creepy, uncanny and enigmatic. She had an expression which one simply could not scrutinize. "You want to know the whereabouts of a certain exceed named Carla", the lady calmly interjected even before Lucy had even said a single word or taken her seat.

"Hai...", Lucy looked around nervously. She was intimidated by the lady.

The Lady looked into the murky, hazy crystal ball. Till now, both Lucy and she had been unable to make any sense of bleary, nebulous, white fog inside the crystal ball.

_Now -_

The haze slowly cleared as she concentrated.

"Put your hands on mine", the lady accentuated.

Lucy nodded meekly.

"Pour all your feelings when you are in contact with me."

Lucy mused on her feelings. Was her love unrequited? She couldn't stop thinking of Natsu's smile, his way of putting her to ease, his way of staring at her intently.

And she couldn't help but wonder, if Carla had followed Natsu all the way to his current position. "Fixate your mind, now!" The lady articulated.

Lucy closed her eyes. A turbulence of emotion flowed through her bodice, flooding her with recollections which made her eyes water. She pondered and Lucy contemplated on her current situation, and arbitrarily, her thoughts flowed surreally, from one thought to another like a hare.

"Lu-chan, you did it!"

Levy had tears in her eyes. She let out a few relieved sobs.

The doe-eyed woman open her eyes and clasped Levy, clinging on to Levy for emotional support.

"Do you think I'm overplaying it?" Lucy asked, her eyes moist and questioning.

"Nay, Lu-chan, Natsu's been away for more than four days now! What kind of lover would tolerate that? Say 'woe is me!' Lucy!" Levy teased, winking.

The crystal ball showed the kingdom of ice, its true nature melted by the naive, warm hearts of the two mages.

The light smoke rose and rose higher in the air, swirling in circular fluffy cloud-like structures. Watching the smoke and the clouds, in the infinitive, deep blue mirror was a girl whose heart was singing. She had finally realized that a certain person who made her complete. She was being honest with herself, and it was giving her an exhilarating feeling. She felt sickly-sweet, as if her tongue was dipped in honey...she experienced that familiar arterial burst of love. And she wore her heart on her sleeve. She, Lucy Heartfilia, was in love and wouldn't stop for anyone.


	6. Chapter 6: Cryptography?

Eye-Candy san: I was so incredulous (not to mention maniacally happy) when I read your reviews! It means alot to me!

Please review

Predestined and chaste

Chapter 6: Crypt and Ruins

Natsu woke up the same way he had been lulled to sleep. By a lilting breeze. Surprisingly, the Shaenlirean room seemed familiar and reminiscent. He scoured his memory for a trace of his known ones, and himself, rudimentarily. His mind drew a blank.

On the onset, Natsu felt no reproaches or nostalgia for any of his nakama.

He vaguely remembered the scent of a girl whom was his first love but yet he couldn't remember her face or her name. Casting aside such thoughts, he finished dressing and got ready. "Natsu-kun!" Hazel called.

"Hai, I'm coming!" Natsu came down. He casually greeted the fretful and edgy maid.

"Um…who're you again?" Natsu posed, running his fingers through his hair.

"Ara, Ara…Natsu-kun, don't you remember me?" She retorted. Her face fell and she appeared startled.

"Oh well,… this is going to be very cumbersome."

"I'm so sorry", Natsu made reparations meekly and softly.

"I'm Mistress' head maid, Hazel-san", she announced proudly.

Hazel lowered her eyes wistfully. She knew what was going on, and was quite familiar to that... innate dark aura around Misae, but she couldn't say a word. She felt choked and asphyxiated. The more she tried to fabricate to herself, the more she was entangled in the web of deceit and falsehood. The more she denied any allegations to Natsu, the more he fell into a predicament.

"You are, too, a servant of the grand, secret mansion. It's a job which a million people would throng for. It's after all for our Mistress. She's the best. But how come you don't remember us?" She frowned. Natsu looked guilty, because everything seemed so superfluous, and natural. There was nothing surreal in this.

"Ah- yes, I just recollected. Where is….err….Mistress?"

"Misae-san is in the chamber. Go to the left, then straight ahead to the kitchen. There is a secret door there. You already know its location, don't you? She just called for you. Go see her, after breakfast."

"Arigato", Natsu smiled with palpable happiness and warmth.

Per contra, the usual glint in his eyes had disappeared, just like Misae's illusory affection for the pink-haired dragon slayer.

Natsu scrupulously and conscientiously scoured for the secret chamber. Somehow, he conjured the scent of the door and pinpointed its locus. Even so, he did not want to stop and dwell upon how exactly he could do so. He was eager to meet his mistress, even though he felt something amiss…..

Light from the lamps bounced off the wall surfaces, illuminating the erratic, and spine-chilling underground, shadowy caves with its characteristic golden-red color, passionate and yet intrusive and scary. Natsu felt himself hesitate,... could that one step lead him to his doom?

_No, of course not!_

_Go Natsu, you can do it… as a honest, good man._

Natsu somehow managed to dodge that maelstrom by considering infiltrating the caves as a measure of his valor and audacity.

He stopped only when he saw her again. The eccentric lady with the long red nails and black hair. Natsu stopped. She was so beautiful, he noted to himself again. Only something about her aura was warped and perverse.

"Hello", the corners of her mouth twitched into a Cheshire cat grin.

She looked wicked, assuming and pretty.

But the greeting wasn't to Natsu. Natsu watched awestruck as he saw her face radiant with the golden beams of light falling on her face. There was a little section of the cave which was cut-off from the rest, and was a bit caved-out, which she had converted into a sort of work room. There was a desk, ink and several tools scattered in a slapdash fashion, and whenever she wanted something, she would lurch, look around, and her fingers usually shook and rattled as she searched impatiently for the paraphernalia. An unforeseen visitor was there, smirking triumphantly. She also had some scrolls with some indecipherable writing, and the guest surveyed those scrolls like a hawk. The light curtain which estranged Natsu and Misae blew lightly from the unusual wind.

"You couldn't keep it a secret, could you?"

Misae flinched. Wincing, she gave a weak reply to the man.

"I am certain that my cryptanalyst will decipher this message in no time! It was really foolhardy of you to keep the key so openly exposed.", the man bellowed.

Misae half-heartedly replied, "I put it out, for Natsu." 

There was a prolonged, lingering silence.

The man laughed like a villain after that silence.

"My dear", the man said, and continued, "Thou secret is thy prisoner. If thou let it go, thou art the prisoner."

Misae bent forward. Her long, raven bangs were hiding her face and she was making an angst-ridden, tearful expression.

Natsu left from the area abruptly. It made no sense. Misae-san was a cryptographer, and her life now directly depended on the content and strength of the fragile cipher.


	7. Chapter 7: A tower, lingering confusion

**Feel free to pique in and give feedback! Y'all know I want it! Thanks for all the reviews and I hope that I can write to your expectations. Sorry for the delay, but there was nothing I could do. Exams are paramount, you know. :)**

With a 360 degree neat turn, Natsu took a u-turn and was retracing his mind ,mystified and bemused. Apparently he wasn't the sort of person he'd hoped himself to be, and matters were becoming increasingly complicated. He had surmised that he'd be boisterous and rowdy, would be engaged in interminable skirmishes, quests and brawls, and would be hell-bent on being virtuous and being true to his guild and his nakama. The whole concept of his expectations was seeming sardonically nostalgic to Natsu. In lieu of this, it turned out that he was a meek, unthrifty knave.

'Way to go!' he incongruously thought to himself.

The fact that his mistress was such a dark and 'doomed' person was really vexing, too.

"Hey", a voice called, and the feminine, alluring voice echoed.

Natsu felt a tap on his shoulder and he turned around as slowly and languidly as possible.

"You overheard, didn't you?"

She no longer looked vulnerable and despondent, but rather fierce.

"Yes, I heard you, but don't worry, I didn't understand anything anyway."

She smiled. Clearly the memory loss potion was kicking in and impacting Natsu.

"Of course you understood", she feigned sadness and distress.

Misae continued after clearing her throat, "I have the gift of hypnotizing wizards. I am also a cryptographer. Don't you think that it is chary and suspicious? Of course people distrust me."

"What was written in the scroll anyway? You don't have to worry if it didn't mean any harm", Natsu harmlessly suggested, scratching his head.

"But it is worrisome, because the content is indeed pernicious. Now listen...".

After she whispered the contents of the scroll, his face turned pale.

"I can't believe it! You and your followers thought of- ".

Natsu screamed loud like a banshee, but Misae looked at him with calm, disconnected and apathetic eyes, disconcerting his speech by placing a hand on his mouth.

"Well, well. Aren't you virtuous?" she incited, amused.

"What's done is done. I agree that assassinating a queen is indeed a significant and imperative affair", she concurred.

"But", she said, her raven bangs covering her face, "I have a plan. A infallible one."

_Four hours later -_

Natsu treaded carefully on the grass. He made sure that the elaborate robes covered his face and rendered him unrecognizable. Misae's plan wasn't infallible, as such, but did have a great chance of success.

"It won't take much time for the queen's officials' cryptanalyst to reach Shaenlir. Once they reach, they will decode the cipher. The contents of the cipher are vague. It refers to the headquarters for more details. There I have kept all the details in a coded manner. They will be able to decode that as well. It will be a matter of time before they reach the headquarters. But we are at an advantage. We can reach there faster, and eradicate the evidence quicker", her words resounded in his ears.

The headquarters was apparently in a tower. Towers reminded him of princesses. Princesses reminded him of Lucy. Lucy Heartfilia, his blonde friend, was much like a princess before he decided to trade her wealth for the warmth of the guild 'Fairy Tail'. The emerald grass, wet with dew, kissed his feet. Natsu cut several thick vines and creepers with a short dagger and swiftly moved forward. A drizzle of rain fell on Natsu. Earlier, the rain was symbolic of joys and happiness, not to mention new beginnings to the fire mage. Now, it made him feel like taking shelter in a warm place and to stay holed there till the rain subsided. Natsu pushed back his hood for greater visibility, as a thick mist was forming.

It was as if the Lord was listening to his wishes and fulfilling them with great rapture.

Natsu saw a crumbling, diphthongized, brown and black tower. He entered it rather cautiously.

"8:00", said the watch.

"Wow", Natsu said to himself, "it's sharp eight. It took a long time to reach via the forest."

His voice echoed slightly. Natsu wondered if the parameters mentioned by Misae were enough to locate the scrolls. The tower was huge and spacious.

It had winding, intricate staircases, and it was a hexagonal structure. On each floor there were six doors, which probably led to more doors and more confusion. At the pinnacle, Natsu could see a huge bell. A adorable, white dove flew at the zenith of the tower.

Natsu's robe and hair flew gently in the breeze. Natsu took out the paper entrusted to him by Misae, and looked into it for directions.

"Ohh...umm...okay", he again said to himself.

"What's wrong with me? Jeez, why am I talking to myself?"

Natsu felt like a dork. If only he knew that that was just the initiation of a tiring, strenuous and rambling events.

**What do you think? What will happen? Please review. **

**Lucy and Natsu meet in the next chappie! Lots of things planned! :)**

***screams like fangirl***

**Oh..um..I need to behave myself. See you :D**


	8. Chapter 8: M is for meeting

**Well, I know I was supposed to be studying for the exams, but I really wanted to write this one! So, please review and give me your constructive feedback :3**

**I am dedicating it to my friend **

Introduction-

Natsu shuffled randomly ahead, burying his head into the slip of paper citing directions, ignoring the architectural conjecture he walked in. When he looked up, he realized he was on the third floor, and smiled because he knew that he was going the right way.

But he realized that even with the directions, it was a very labyrinthine and airy tower. The directions couldn't recreate the ambience the tower could exude. He felt secure yet edgy and overwrought . He just couldn't help but feel that he was terribly out of place there, like a fish out of water. Outside, the clouds thundered and as the drizzle morphed into a heavy downpour, the white clouds turned into swirling black, roaring masses. The clouds seemed to veil the noble Sun and the sky turned dark and downcast even though it was just evening.

-END OF INTRODUCTION-

"Oi! What the heck is going on?" Natsu screamed at no one in particular.

He was dizzy and his knees easily gave way. Natsu dismally lowered his eyes, exhausted and dog-tired. Since he was sitting under the windowsill, the falling raindrops splattered carelessly on Natsu's robes. He had been walking in circles since the past one hour, and his initial enthusiasm had been nullified and whitewashed. Now, sleep inevitably clutched him and he let his drowsiness carry him far away into the land of reveries. And he moved a bit away from the windowsill lest his dream be dispelled...

Natsu grew a tail. And fur...shocking azure one. An insanely cheerful grin.

And he kept reiterating the shortest sentence ever, "Aye!"

He had changed into an exceed. An exceed named happy. He didn't know why it was so familiar and wistful.

Out of the blue, Natsu heard strident, loud footsteps. The rain had become so vicious and malevolent that it did not stop for anything. Albeit Natsu was away from the windowsill, the drops of water cascaded down his exposed skin, dampening his garments.

"What the...", Natsu flicked strands of his hair behind, opening his eyes slowly. His vision was hazy and blurred. He saw a figure running...towards him. Strangely, he did not find it paradoxical in any light.

_The golden, soft flames of the torches hung on the walls was now fully reflected on her face. She looked beautiful and lissome. For some reason she was running along the winding corridor. She wore a cherry colored frilly gown, which was the same hue of her tempting lips. Her hair were blonde and free. In short, she was a half-dream, and a half reality. She looked exactly like a princess. Her movements were fluid and elegantly furnished._

Natsu stood up and moved to get a better view of the woman. She crashed into Natsu. Natsu rubbed his temples. He experienced a dull ache, threatening to turn into a maelstrom of a headache.

"Natsuuuu ~", the woman called. Natsu scrutinized her, pondering hard.

"Hey", Lucy hugged Natsu tightly. There were tears spiked on her eyelashes.

"Uh...who're you?" Natsu asked in all nonchalance. Lucy stopped. She was shocked.

After all, she had to endure a lot to come up till here. Rose petals, enticed to enter by the wind, danced in full rhapsody to the wind. Lucy looked doleful, not baleful like Misae at all.

"Uh...Natsu?" Lucy asked, distraught.

"Ne, how do you know my name?" Natsu asked.

"Natsu dragneel, in a guild called Fairy Tail, a fire mage, known as 'Salamander'. Now

stop joking, Natsu. You know I know that you know that I know you, right?"

"Err...I don't know of a place called Fairy Tail, or Salamander. I don't know why, but my head hurts just hearing you mentioning it. And I kinda lost you on the second sentence", Natsu said sheepishly.

"And I wore this ridiculous thing for you!"

"What do you mean? Don't waste my time", Natsu rebuked, turning around and attempting to leave.

"Noo...please don't go", Lucy exhorted, grabbing on to his sleeve, refusing to let him go. She looked reluctant and endearing.

Natsu hesitated. How could a stranger be so tantalizing?

"What is your name?"

Lucy smiled cheerfully. "Could you stop it, Natsu?"

"Lucy...", she added the next moment after seeing Natsu with a tell-me-your-name-already expression.

"So, Luigi it is. Nice time. I will see you next time. Whenever that is", Natsu absent-mindedly mumbled.

"Hello? Its Lucy! How many times do I repeat it? L-U-S-Y! And what do you mean we will meet next time!" Lucy screeched at a higher octave, disappointed.

"You mean L-U-C-Y", Natsu said and rolled his eyes.

"Just a lapses langue", Lucy rolled her eyes back at him.

"Lapses what?"

"Lapses langue. You know...slip of tongue", Lucy said and giggled.

"But wait, didn't I tell you that before on the day when Gray did not strip even once?" Lucy solicited.

"Maybe...", Natsu acquiesced

"Don't be vague now", Lucy reprimanded him. She had a tick mark now.

"Look...I don't want to start this blame game again. You're a very nice girl", Natsu complimented. Lucy simultaneously colored. She blazed a pretty light shade of red.

"But I don't know you. Plus, I've got something important to finish...if you don't mind", Natsu cited and grinned, for the first time that day.

Lucy felt at a loss of words. She didn't know what she felt herself. Happiness? Sadness? Lucy really didn't know. For some reason she felt really nihilistic yet placate and appeased. Just what had happened since Natsu had left. And why Shaenlir? Why wasn't he happy, with her and his other nakama? Lucy felt really hurt. Had he really forgotten her? How? A million thoughts streamed in Lucy's mind, making her feel vague and perturbed.

_Let me wallow in my grief! _

"I can't really act weird now, can I? Let me play along with Natsu's little 'game'", Lucy contemplated, amused.

"Just go", Lucy said as she turned around elegantly. A small smile flitted on her face as her short and sweet dialogue ended, and she ran away lithely and winsomely. Inwardly, she mourned. What had gone wrong?

_I feel we'll meet again._

Natsu and Lucy flushed slightly, amused, as they went in the same tower, in converse directions.

"I wore the dress because I wanted you to laugh on it, Natsu", Lucy confessed to no-one in particular. And burst out laughing.

**Heeey! This is the beginning! I hope you guys support me!**

**Don't think that I have enough. I still need more reviews! It'll make me really happy.**


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